Name Search Using a Ranking Function

1. A query module for performing a name search, comprising: a processor; and a name search module configured to: receive input information from a user, the input information including at least an input name and supplemental information; determine a plurality of candidate names from the input name by a fuzzy matching operation performed using a tree structure that organizes characters of an indexed name hierarchically wherein a node in the tree structure corresponds to a character in an indexed name and wherein a path in the tree structure between a topmost root node and an empty child node spells out a component of an indexed name, wherein the fuzzy matching operation comprises: pointing a query pointer to a first character in the input name and pointing a tree pointer to a first character in the tree structure as a first search state; transitioning to a next search state by moving at least one of the query pointer and the tree pointer to a next character in the input name and a next node in the tree structure, respectively, wherein each search state is associated with a confidence value, until an empty child node is reached by the tree pointer; calculating a fuzzy match score for a component of the input name from the confidence values of each search state; and provide the plurality of candidate names with probability scores determined from the fuzzy match scores of the component names that correspond to the candidate name associated therewith, each probability score reflecting a degree of confidence that a corresponding candidate name is an appropriate match for the input name, the probability scores defining respective name search factor values; and a ranking module configured to: receive the plurality of name search factor values; generate, by the processor, at least one other type of factor value for each of the candidate names, the generating of the at least one other type of factor value comprising determining, for each candidate name, whether the supplemental information input by the user matches profile information associated with the candidate name to provide a query-based factor value; generate rank values associated with the respective candidate names using a ranking function, each rank value being based on an associated name search factor value and said at least one other type of factor value; and rank the candidate names based on the rank values.

2. The query module of claim 1 , wherein the name search module is configured to receive the input information in textual form.

3. The query module of claim 1 , wherein the name search module is configured to use voice recognition functionality to receive the input information and provide the plurality of candidate names.

4. The query module of claim 1 , wherein the name search module is configured to use handwriting recognition functionality to receive the input information and provide the plurality of candidate names.

5. The query module of claim 1 , wherein the supplemental information includes at least one query term that identifies a characteristic of a desired person.

6. The query module of claim 1 , wherein said generating of said at least one other type of factor value comprises, for each candidate name, determining an extent of a nexus between the user who inputs the input information and a person associated with the candidate name to provide a nexus factor value.

7. The query module of claim 6 , wherein said determining of an extent of a nexus ascertains whether the user and the person associated with the candidate name share an identified characteristic.

8. The query module of claim 6 , wherein said determining of an extent of a nexus ascertains a distance between the user and the person associated with the candidate name.

9. The query module of claim 8 , wherein the distance is a social distance that reflects an identified proximity between the user and the person associated with the candidate name within a web of relationships among people.

10. The query module of claim 8 , wherein the distance is an organization distance that reflects an identified proximity between the user and the person associated with the candidate name within an organizational structure.

11. The query module of claim 1 , wherein said generating of said at least one other type of factor value comprises, for each candidate name, determining an identified characteristic associated with the candidate name to provide a static factor value, the static factor value being independent of the input information and an identity of the user who inputs the input information.

12. The query module of claim 1 , wherein said generating of rank values associated with the respective candidate names comprises determining documents that contain the candidate names and generating rank values for the documents.

13. A method for performing a search, the method being performed on electronic data processing equipment, the method comprising: receiving input information that includes an input name and supplemental information; parsing the input name into component names; for each component name: determining at least one fuzzy match associated with the component name if there is at least one fuzzy match; and executing a lookup operation in an index for each fuzzy match to provide at least one lookup result, the index comprising a tree structure that organizes characters of an indexed name hierarchically wherein a node in the tree structure corresponds to a character in an indexed name and wherein a path in the tree structure between a topmost root node and an empty child node spells out a component of an indexed name, wherein determining at least one fuzzy match comprises: pointing a query pointer to a first character in the input name and pointing a tree pointer to a first character in the tree structure as a first search state; transitioning to a next search state by moving at least one of the query pointer and the tree pointer to a next character in the input name and a next node in the tree structure, respectively, wherein each search state is associated with a confidence value, until an empty child node is reached by the tree pointer; calculating a fuzzy match score for the component name from the confidence values of each search state; providing at least one candidate name based on a scoring analysis of lookup results provided for the component names in the input name, each candidate name having a probability score determined from the fuzzy match scores of the component names that correspond to the candidate name associated therewith which reflects a level of confidence that the candidate name is an appropriate match for the input name; and generating a rank value associated with said at least one candidate name using a ranking function, the generation of the rank value comprising determining, for said at least one candidate name, whether the supplemental information matches profile information associated with the at least one candidate name.

14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising, for each component name: identifying at least one version of the component name; and performing said determining and executing with respect to said at least one identified version of the component name.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein said at least one version of the component name is a pronunciation version of the component name.

16. The method of claim 14 , wherein at least two versions of a component name map to a same candidate name with respective probability scores associated therewith, further comprising producing a consolidated probability score associated with the same candidate name based on the respective probability scores.

17. The method of claim 13 , wherein said providing of said at least one candidate name comprises forming an intersection to identify one or more candidate names that match lookup results associated with plural component names in the input name, further comprising determining the probability score of each candidate name by taking a product of fuzzy match scores associated with the component names that correspond to the candidate name.

18. The query module of claim 1 , wherein the tree structure is formed from the pronunciation version of indexed names, and a character is a pronunciation symbol.